The soul has greater need of the ideal than the real for it is by the real that we exist, it is by the ideal that we live

Monday, May 31, 2010

honor

Do we even know what honor is anymore? In a country where someone else is always responsible, where we look immediately to assign blame, where we think first and foremost of ourselves is there such a thing as honor?

Yes I want to think so, as do you, but take a look around. The question begs to be answered. And the answers we have aren't promising.

Is there honor in giving your life for your country? I would think that there is, but perhaps the honor of being that committed to an idea is what we should revere.

If you're committed to the idea of democracy, freedom, The United States of America, Christianity, heterosexuality, and white people, you can feel free to speak up in this country.

If you're committed to the idea of spirituality, honesty, responsibility, adventure, free expression of your sexual orientation, or the notion that the Christian American idea of God isn't the only viable option regarding that particular mythical creature, then you can just keep your mouth shut.

Anyone notice a bit of a dichotomy there?

I've decided I like the notion of Rand Paul. First, he's got this impossibly WASP name, and second, and perhaps most importantly he's the ultimate representation of what the country club set really thinks.

He does make it a little more difficult for them to operate under the radar though.

His rantings about the civil rights act of 1964, his wonderfully whimsical statements that we shouldn't criticize business, are priceless. I can only imagine the headaches he's causing at the RNC.

But the purpose of this holiday isn't to nitpick others ideology, I can do that anytime. Nor is it to go to the lake or have a picnic, which most of will do anyway. It's to honor those who've given their lives in service to this country.

One of the things we might be overlooking is that not all of them were wearing uniforms when they did so.

And so it goes: